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The natural quietness that filled the outdoor basketball court only seemed to be a momentary pause in the hustle of the world around it, as it was soon broken by the heavy double doors banging open and a small wave of 6th graders pouring in. Excited babbling all mixed together into a low hum, only punctuated by the sharp voice of their gym teacher, reprimanding the group of boys at the front who had already taken off with the basketballs and started bouncing them to each other.
Amidst all of them, one smaller boy had started going against the influx of kids, his slightly grey school shirt and frizzled dark hair easily making him stand out among the majority sporting dark blue tees. After weaving and getting knocked around enough, Byeon Jung-Nam finally had made it back through the doors, ratty trainers squeaking against freshly polished floors as he shot back to the changing room. Panting softly, he trudged the last few steps towards the door.
He knew without a doubt, the last person he could rely on right now would be in there.
This was the same boy Jung-Nam had made mud cakes with when he was 3, the same boy he had given his slightly licked popsicle to when his friend had sobbed over his own dropped ice cream when they were 7. Hell, his mom had even allowed him to bring Jung-Nam over to his house last month, and sure they’d had fun. But what he more distinctly remembered was the feeling of waking up warm and content, right next to his best friend, how he’d wanted to stay in that moment forever. They could have just curled up under the sheets and hid from the world. But not from each other. There were barely any secrets kept between them, carefree and naive, they trusted each other with everything.
This was why Jung-Nam, without a second thought, pushed the changing room door and waltzed in.
He’d barely even gotten a glance at Seo Dae-Hyun’s bare back, before said boy scrambled for his gym bag, pressing it tightly to his chest as whirled around.
“Jung-Nam?” He squeaked out. “The hell are you doing just bursting in like that?”
“Ah jeez, don’t be like that. I knew you’d be in here.” Snorting softly in amusement, Jung-Nam rolled on the balls of his feet near the entrance, pointedly ignoring his friend’s slight glare. “Getting held back in history again are we?”
Dae-Hyun faltered, clearly planning a retort to the other boy’s first statement, but he just leaves it with a roll of the eyes and tosses his bag to the bench beside him with a huff. “I’d focus more if you were there.” He stated simply.
Jung-Nam didn’t give himself much time to ponder over the legitimacy of that fact, instead briefly striding across the room and flopping back onto the bench opposite his friend, a dramatic groan leaving his lips. He looked up to see Dae-Hyun had already turned his back on him again, elbow-deep trying to get something deep in his gym bag. He subconsciously let his gaze linger a little bit longer on the way his friend’s shoulders were starting to broaden, how those three little moles were still dotted along the middle of his back.
Him and Dae-Hyun were not as physically disgusted seeing each other shirtless, not like the other boys in their class, who were quick to anger if you even glanced their way a little too long in the changing rooms. They could just chalk that down to them growing up together so close from such a young age, they were bound to see a bit of exposed skin at least once. It was just natural to them.
Detecting he was not going to get any form of reply to his dramatics any time soon, the frizzy haired boy knew he needed to speed things up, lest he really get in trouble.
“Do you have a spare one of these?” He questioned, trying to sound as casual as possible.
Dae-Hyun twisted the shoe lace between his thumb and forefinger, looking up from tying his shoes to see his school brand sports tee, playfully being spun around and thrown up in the air by his friend. Exhaling sharply through his nose, he was quick to take his own shirt back mid-toss. A barely audible gasp left Jung-Nam’s lips as they parted, left startled and staring at his now empty hand. Flicking his gaze over, they locked eyes for a split second. With his other palm laid flat on the bench, the smaller boy leapt up. But the other already knew what to do. Springing up onto his tiptoes, he held his arm way above his head, shirt still fisted tightly in his hand. No matter how much Jung-Nam jumped or tried to balance on his own toes, there was no way he could reach up there.
He cursed him out, “Ah, you jerk! You freakishly tall jerk.”
The sly smirk never left Dae-Hyun’s lips, shifting closer until their knees were knocking and dangling the shirt above his friend’s head, taunting him.
“Why are you so desperate for my shirt anyway?” The slightest flash of teeth started to show as his smile grew wider. And as Jung-Nam stood there with a ridiculous over-exaggerated pout, he realised he had never been this close to Dae-Hyun while he was shirtless before. He had been bumping into his bare chest too, albeit Jung-Nam had his school shirt on. Seeing it was one thing, but being in such close proximity…
His heart jerked in his chest as he scrambled backwards, the back of his legs making contact with the bench and he felt the tips of his ears start to heat up. Seeing Dae-Hyun’s grin slowly start to fizzle out, he knew he had to say something, or else this was going to get awkward. “I forgot my gym shirt,” he blurted out. “And uh, I need one of your spares.”
“Urgh again? Why don’t you just ask the teacher to borrow one from lost and found-”
“None of them are the right size though.” Jung-Nam whined out, seeing Dae-Hyun was suddenly more eager to throw his tee on now.
Looking back over his shoulder, the taller boy fixed his eyes on his friend. He fidgeted with the sleeve on his button up. Jung-Nam never did understand the subtleties behind reading people’s emotions, especially when it came to their eyes. And currently he was being scrutinised by some unreadable expression, that for some reason stirred a rare fluttery sensation down in his stomach.
The only sound in the room was Jung-Nam softly panting through his nose. It was soon joined by a sharp ‘tsk’, he just barely whipped his head up in time to catch the sizeable dark blue tee being tossed at his chest.
“You should feel lucky that my mom always packs a spare.”
—˚•꒰ა☆໒꒱•˚—
A few minutes later, both boys had finally come out of the changing room, now sporting identical gym shirts. Although you could see it from a mile away, how ridiculously long the shirt on the frizzy haired boy was, with it almost covering the matching shorts underneath. He didn’t seem to care though, blissfully trotting away to the main doors leading out into the basketball court.
“At least tuck your shirt in dumbass, you look stupid,” Dae-Hyun huffed out, closely trailing behind the shorter boy.
He barked out a laugh and turned around to face him. “No way, you really don’t think I look awesome in your shirt?” Cheekily wiggling his eyebrows, Jung-Nam stood there baring all teeth with his hands on his hips.
“I think…” Dae-Hyun gave pause, trailing his eyes up and down his friend briefly, “my shirt looks just like a dress on you.” He sniggered out.
This comment only served to add fuel to Jung-Nam’s fire, he barely batted an eye as he twirled around a few times in some mock attempt of how a princess might spin around in her fancy gown.
“Well then I’ll be the prettiest boy on the court today.” He called jovially, skipping ahead off to the big double doors.
A soft sigh could be heard behind him, but he only turned his head to see Dae-Hyun, with crossed arms and neutral eyes. He never saw the way the corner of his friend’s lips twitched, soon forming into a gentle smile. Those plain dark blue gym tees were always something Dae-Hyun complained about, just so boring and itchy really. But when Jung-Nam wore it, it was like a completely new outfit, something exciting that got his head spinning. He knew that was just the way his best friend was though, bringing sunlight and carefree joy in a way that everything in his life before he met Jung-Nam was much more dull and miserable.
Dae-Hyun just hoped Jung-Nam could stay in his life until he took his own last dying breath.